News of the Day

Marco Rubio (or Mark O’Rubio as I sometimes think of him as if he were an angry Irishman), acting as the Republican naysayer (well, they’re all Obama naysayers right now with Marco serving as nominated naysayer), says that government can’t do anything about weather or climate change, chastising President Obama for suggesting that the present administration could do something about weather or climate change. Does Rubio think that nothing can be done about it, or only that the present administration could do nothing about it? Wouldn’t he agree that our nation could apply pressure on other industrial nations to cut back on pollution? Wouldn’t he agree that some new legislation could require in this country tougher standards for auto and industrial emissions? I guess I’m just sick of the Republicans, like pouty-faced losers, saying no to everything Obama proposes. According to a recent poll, 89% of democrats favor attempts to change climate, 62% of independents, and only 38% of republicans.

We’ve never felt tempted to take a cruise anywhere, and now we know why. How would you like to have been on the Carnival Cruise liner having to share five toilets with four thousand others? The audacity of calling these “luxury” cruises. Assuming each person might need the facilities three times a day, that makes 12,000 uses divided by five equals 2400 uses per day per toilet, or 100 per hour, or once every thirty-six seconds. At least the seat would always be warm. But it wouldn’t leave much time for friendly banter between outgoing and incoming squatters. Not much time for wiping either. And then the cruise line is offering a free cruise to those unfortunate cruisers. Wow! No thanks.

The Westminster Dog Show just crowned Banana Joe their new poster boy. He’s an affenpinscher (What’s an affenpinscher?) and cute as a little black button. How much we love loveable little dogs and cats.

Oscar Pistorius, the blade runner from South Africa who captured our hearts and admiration in last year’s Olympic Games, has now supposedly broken our hearts with the possible murder of his model girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. Oh, Oscar, say it isn’t so. We have so few heroes anymore, we can’t afford to lose another.

Recent news from Arizona State University about campus fight clubs, a two- to twelve-person pool brawl at a campus perty. Just good, honest youthful fun. And, according to local news sources, fight clubs are popular and numerous on the ASU campus. What possesses young people to want to pummel each other with feet and fists? I don’t know. Is the adrenaline rush enough to overcome the pain? I wouldn’t think so, but I’m a pacifist. And I’m also averse to pain.

One last news comment. Has any First Lady since Jackie O been more charming and beautiful than Michelle Obama? I don’t think so.